LiveSustainably Competition - Reducing Plastic Consumption
Plastic reduction has been a goal of mine for a long time - since way before I saw the contest being run by @livesustainably! That means I have a little bit of practice under my belt already! For this competition, I am going to show the dramatic changes I’ve made to my hygiene and beauty routine!
Body Wash
I am in the gradual process of exchanging plastic bottled soaps for natural and organic bars! One such example dates all the way back to my second Product Spotlight Series article which featured palm oil free OilAndAshSoap!
Shampoo
The change of shampoo occurred more recently - I attempted the Plastic Free Challenge for a week and tried to wash my hair using baking soda. It took some getting used to but I discovered that I still prefer soap… just not the stuff in plastic! So I looked up an alternative in my twelfth Product Spotlight series article and found palm oil free Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar!
Dry Shampoo
For the days when I skip a shower and save some water, I use the Orange & Lavender Dry Shampoo I featured in my third Product Spotlight Series article since it comes packaged in a reusable glass jar (and tin lid)! And as a bonus, part of the profits were donated towards the shop owner’s local Humane Society!
Razor
Shaving is a difficult habit to maintain since almost all razors are made of / packaged in plastic. That’s why I invested in an Albatross Stainless Steel Double Edged Safety Razor after I researched it for my eleventh Product Spotlight Series article! Replacement blades are extremely cheap ($1.50 for ten) and can be sent back to the company to be recycled!
Deodorant
I wrote a review about a delicious scented deodorant previously but it was packaged in plastic. Since then I have switched to a glass jar of organic deodorant from TheHippyHomemaker! It has a plastic screw top but I plan on reusing the jar and lid to make my own deodorant in the future!
Toothbrush
It’s difficult to refuse free products but I avoid the plastic toothbrushes my dentist offers… because I’ve found a much better alternative! I now brush with the Bamboo Toothbrush I wrote about in my sixth Product Spotlight Series article!
Floss
I never wrote a Product Spotlight series article for my floss, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t undergo the same scrutiny that my other products did! I use a glass packaged mulberry silk floss from the Package Free Shop! To be honest, it isn’t my favorite floss and has a tendency to get stuck between tight teeth so I am still on the lookout for a good alternative!
Feminine Products
This is the rare case in which I ADD “plastic” (medical-grade silicone) to my routine in order to reduce my overall waste - I’ve traded traditional feminine products (tampons) for a Lunette Menstrual Cup that I researched for my eighth Product Spotlight Series article!
Makeup
I don’t wear much makeup anymore but when I do, I try to avoid plastic as best I can. That’s why I only use certain products like the EcoTools Bamboo 5 Piece Brush Set and the tin of vegan Rose Pink Blush I featured in my ninth Product Spotlight Series article! I’m still on the lookout for plastic free makeup that fits my lifestyle! Any suggestions are appreciated!
So what did I do this week to reduce my plastic consumption? I used a bunch of my plastic free hygiene/beauty products and documented it for you to witness! It took much longer than one week to get to this point - in fact, I’ve been writing my Product Spotlight series since I joined Steemit in May! I have come a long way… but I’m actually excited that I still have a long way to go!
Morning Hygiene: glass jar of deodorant and homemade essential oil perfume in an aluminum bottle!
Makeup Time: Bamboo Ecotools, tin of Rose Pink blush, and glass jar of Herbivore lip stain!
Nightly Ritual: Bamboo toothbrush and glass jar of floss! P.S. forgive the unsightly paint job on the wall - we are in the process of renovating!
Did you reduce your plastic consumption this week?
Product information and photo(s) belong to the respectively linked shops. Last three (3) verification photos taken by @kiaraantonoviche and may be shared/reposted with proper accreditation. Article contains affiliate links from ShopStyle Collective.
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I want to check out that razor....$1.50 for ten blades?! AND they’re recyclable? That’s awesome!
Here is the link: https://albatrossdesigns.it/products/plastic-free-safety-razor-shaving - It's worth it! It's super sharp and takes a little while to get used to, but I've had it for months and am still only on my second blade! And here is more about there "take back" program... https://albatrossdesigns.it/pages/albatross-blade-take-back-program
Checked it out and I’m totally sold and going to get one :) It’s going to be a huge cost savings over periodically buying replacement cartridges for my current razor! Thanks so much for doing the product spotlights, otherwise I’d have never known about these great items!
Wonderful information, you have found some really nice products there!
I would love to know what you think of the shampoo bar after a month or so of using it. I have tried them many different times, and have even made my own. I love the feeling but my hair dries out terribly no matter what the formula.
For sure! I have yet to order it because finances are a bit tight right now so I am using up my old shampoo first! But I hope to get it soon! I think I am also going to look for a conditioner bar!
This is what I've been wanting to do for like decades now, haha! I always feel guilty about throwing bags of plastic trashes everyday but I've barely done anything to do something about it. There isn't much support that you can find here in our country, Philippines, if you want to live a zero waste lifestyle.
I tried searching again for zero waste products recently and I'm so happy to find a few local online stores offering such products. After reading your post, I'm inspired to do the same.
Awesome spotlights!
Is that toothbrush Brush with Bamboo? Those are friends of mine in LA! I support them too.
And I was SO happy to see FLOSS! on here.. That has always been a concern of mine that I feel is hardly ever addressed. Mulberry silk! Wowza.... very cool and thanks.
Oh, and of course, I have used Diva, Lena and the Keeper cups. Won't ever return to not using a cup, most likely! love em
Yes it is Brush with Bamboo! Very cool, it's a great product. I'll never get a plastic toothbrush again. And same here, I'm sticking with menstrual cups from now on too! They're awesome - super comfy and no leaks!
Goodness!
You are way ahead of the game ~ congratulations.
This has made me feel a tad uncomfortable about my purchasing habits, and, to be honest, woken me up to an alternative path.
Thanks.
:)
xox
Wow that's a lot of "no plastic" products! That's really great and some dedication...gongrats!
I've used the double edge razors for a relly long time now and The price can't be beat!
Thanks for sharing....i'm interested in looking at the shampoo soap thing you had with coconut there.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been thinking of switching over to a different shampoo. I wonder if I could make my own shampoo bar?
Amazing and inspiring!!! WOW! I had no idea so many plastic alternatives were available. Good on you! Thank you for doing more than your part. I now realize how much more work I have to do.
Thanks for resteeming! I would have totally missed this!
Glad you saw it! The power of the resteem :)
Yes, thank you for resteeming lol! I appreciate it! :)
I went to the etsy site and ordered some of their soap and shampoo (no packaging option of course!) Thanks for the recommend.
Awesome! That is so cool :)
Extremely inspiring. I didn't realize there was so much available. In fact I was so certain I didn't even research it. Thanks much. I'll be looking for these and more like them!
I am still researching and finding many more products so if you are interested, you can follow along with my "Product Spotlight" series because most of them are plastic free :)
Wow you are inspiring me to work on my plastic reduction, especially with those items we use so regularly that you mention above! Nice going @kiaraantonoviche!